Freed Spiret
by leo0821
Summary: Her mother had always tried to control what she did, so she fought all she could possibly fight. When it became to much she ran, leaving behind her life and the comforting presence of Mirkwood and the haunting eyes that watched her there. slow start but dose get better soon. LxOC.
1. Chapter 1

Pro loge(I DO NOT OWN LORD OF THE RINGS)

The young child slipped under the window curtain as quietly as a mouse, she had to hide had to make sure that no one found her. Carefully she monitored her breath till it was almost undetectable even to her own ears. She waited in anticipation as she saw the shadow cross the floor only inches away from her hiding spot, she didn't move, moving met he would find her and the game would be over. Soon the shadow passed her hiding spot and an answering squeak of the floor boards signaled that her follower had gone, she let out a little sigh of relief and couldn't help the giggle that came from her lips, but the little giggle was her undoing.

Hands shot out from the shadows and grabbed her by her midsection, she screeched as she was lifted into the air her captor making mock evil noises as she giggled in delight at being swung in the air.

"Ha-ha, I've got you now." The man said as he tickled the girl in his arms, she laughed and giggled as she squirmed to get away from the onslaught of tickles.

"Daddy, stop it." The girl cried which only made the man laugh all the more as he kissed his beloved child on the cheek.

"I will always love you Arainya, no matter what." Arainys's father said as he held the little girl. "I must go now to defend out people on the border but know that I will always love you my little free spirit." He said and kissed the small girl once again, it was sad he though, his child was only two falls old and already she understood the concept of war even if not fully. He set the girl down patting her on the head she was a perfect mixture of him and his wife, with her deep green eyes and wild dark red hair with a single tendril of hair the pale blonde of her mothers, the rest not quiet auburn and not quiet the orange red of some of their people, but she had all the spirit and freedom of the fire of the dragon that had once haunted the city of Dale.

"I must go now, take care of your mother for me and don't give my father too much trouble." He said quietly Arainya nodded solemnly and hugged her father's leg one last time before he road to the borders to defend their people.

It was the last time she had ever seen him.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1(I DO NOT OWN LOTR)

"Arainya get down here immediately!" her mother yelled to her as she sat up in one of the trees in the castles courtyard, though in truth that wasn't actually her mother but her aunt. She was eight falls old now and loathed the lessons that her mother made her participate in, she always said they were that of a proper lady, but Arain didn't want to be a proper lady she loathed everything about it. She waited for a bit longer until her mother passed by her hiding spot before climbing down it and making a dash for the training grounds were she could watch the warriors practice in secret. Glancing over her shoulder to make sure no one was there to see her she ran around the corner and straight into her grandfather, the King of Dale, she paled, she had been caught and now she would be forced to practice her needle work.

"Escaping to the training grounds again Arain." Her Grandfather asked, she nodded guilty but was glad when she heard him call her by the shortened version of her name, Arainya just sounded so formal and well lady like so it was her small way of rebelling towards her mother as well as for wearing boys clothing.

"You really loathe your lessons don't you?"

Arain nodded, "Not all of them, learning to read maps and learning of the world I like, but Grandpa learning needle work is boring."

Her grandfather smiled down at the small child that was more intelligent than any five year old should be, "Well then, if that sort of needle work doesn't appeal to you then why don't we try something else, though if you do this you will have to attend your sewing lessons."

The young girl made a face, "what type of needle work?"

"The one that involves a blade." He said and watched Arain's face brighten unbelievably. "It will not be easy, it'll be very hard and you must attend to your other lessons as well, that includes sewing with your mother. Agreed?" The girl beamed as she nodded her head vigorously making her hair come loose from its braid that blonde tendril fell to frame the girls face.

That was the day she was the happiest, having one of the warriors out in the courtyard take her up as there student, first learning the bow. It was the hardest thing she had ever done but she was invigorated every time she had gotten an arrow into the center of the target.

Arain was happy, it was her tenth fall of the day of her birth, and tomorrow Master Elkon would start teaching her the short blade, she was so excited. She was in her chambers pulling her hair back into a braid when her mother entered her room and laid a small wrapped package on her bed.

"Happy birth day, my child." She said and nodded toward the package. Unfolding it carefully she found the most beautiful comb she had ever seen. The handle had a rose etched into it and was set with deep blue sapphire stones and a beautiful green paint for the leaves, the comb itself was made from polished ivory making it shine.

"It's beautiful, thank you." Arain said and stroked the jewel rose again likening the way it caught and sparkled in the light.

"Long have I waited this day, for now you are ten fall's old and can begin real training of a proper lady." Arain's mood suddenly fell.

"You know I have no desire to par take in the training of a lady. It is shallow and boring."

"Enough of this Arainya, I have let this foolishness with learning the bow go on for far too long. You are a lady and it is time you act like it, you will learn the ways of one and you will do it with a smile on your face." Her mother said and it wasn't a request but rather a demand and it made Arain's blood boil.

"No, I will not." Arain yelled childishly and ran out of her room leaving the comb on her bed as she went.

"What has gotten you down little fire?" the gravelly voice of Master Elkon interrupted Arain's thoughts as she looked out over the castle walls from her perch in a tree.

"Mother." Was her only reply and Elkon made a knowing smile and nodded his head he knew quiet well the struggle his apprentice had with her mother.

"I see, well then to raise your mood would you like to start your training with a short blade today." Elkon had to struggle to not smile at the way the young girls face lit up at his suggestion. As quick as a spider Arain scrambled down the tree and to the ground where she looked hopefully at her master. When he made his way to the training ground she skipped happily after him.

It was there that her grandfather found her, he watched as she diligently worked her way through the basic moves that Elkon had taught her, trying to find as she called it a natural rhythm as she moved with the blade. He had been told countless time by Elkon how much he enjoyed teaching the girl, that she was one of his better students and she was always asking questions about different fighting styles. He had often told him that she had a natural gift for weapons work and a sharp and agile mind and body as well, no doubt coming from her true mothers heritage. He smiled at that the girl, she always made him proud, and he was anxious to see her reaction to his gift to her.

"Arain, will you come with me a moment." He called and watched as the girl paled slightly, no doubt because of the fight he had with her mother, but she came none the less after handing back the blade she had been working with. He led her to the stables where a beautiful high spirited white colt with underlying tones of grey and black that gave you the impression of shadows jumped and played with the other young horses, throwing his short black mane and tail into the air defiantly. "Happy birthday my girl, he is yours, to train and do what you wish with. But I'll warn you he is a high spirited colt and will not be easily handled." The girls face light up and she looked at him with disbelief, when she saw that it was no joke she hugged her grandfather hard, the day had started out on a bad note but had ended wonderfully. Thought her grandfather was thinking about the earful he was going to get from his daughter later for this.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2(I DO NOT OWN LOTR)

Arain followed behind her grandfather as he made his way towards the thrown hall she was now a girl of thirteen falls and she had heard he was meeting an elven envoy form Mirkwood and she was _not_ going to miss that chance. Even though no one had talked about it around her, Arain knew what it was that her true mother was. So she followed stealthily behind her grandfather, slipping into the room just before the doors closed, and hiding amongst the shadows behind a pillar. Carefully so as not to be seen, she peeked around the corner and tried to control her delight when she saw the graceful elf standing in the middle of the room and talking quietly to her grandfather.

"King Barden, it is a pleasure to meet with you. But before we continue with this meeting I think it wise to know you have a shadow." The elf said in his lightly accented voice. Arain started, he must have seen her come in but she had been so careful.

Her grandfather sighed, "Come on out now Arainya." She winced her grandfather never called her by her full name, so she grudgingly came out of her hiding spot. "This is my granddaughter Arainya. I was expecting her to try something like this." The girl winced again.

The elf kneeled down to the girls level and offered a kind smile, "Ma goven, tela mellon ni. I am Tallish."

"M-ma goven." Arain replied with a small bow feeling slightly embarrassed about being dressed in such awful and ragged men's clothes. "What dose tela mellon ni, mean?"

"It means 'my young friend', but it seems to me you know what ma goven means."

"I know a little elvish but not much." She replied, and Tallish looked at her for a moment before gently placing a hand on her head, his eyes widened slightly then he smiled once again.

"I can tell you have a question for me but first I must wonder why you are skipping your lessons with your Nanath?"

Arain flushed slightly, she wasn't sure how he knew that. "I don't like them. Lessons with my aunt hold no interest for me." She had never heard the elvish word for mother before but it wasn't hard for her to figure out, and she felt that word was not befitting her aunt as she was not her true mother.

Tallish laughed, "No, I dear say they do not. Very well ask your question."

"I need a name, not for myself but for my colt, I've had him for months and I cannot find a name that fits him. I've looked in Dalish, the common tongue and even the tongue of Dwarves but still I cannot find one that is right for him."

"Ah, I see. What type of name are you seeking for him? He must be special to you if you are going through so much trouble to find a proper name for him."

She nodded vigorously glad that someone understood, the others didn't understand why she cared so much what she called her horse, because to them it was just an animal meant to carry them and do their bidding. That was not the kind of relationship she wanted with her horse. "He may be a horse but I do not want a master servant relationship with him, I want him to trust me and be my friend, he is spirited and strong but I can tell he is loyal to those he respects and cares for." Arain said proudly, she had been working with the colt for several months now and they had built a strong bond with each other and soon she would ride him. "I don't know why but I believe his name must be elvish, for no other name seems to fit him, I would look myself but I know very little of the elven tongue."

"Well, after hearing that I believe the name you are searching for is Zatalon, it means trusted bearer." Tallish explained and watched as the girl spoke it several times to herself, he noticed she had no trouble with the strange syllables and pronunciation of the elvish tongue like most humans did.

"Zatalon, yes that is his name it fits him perfectly. Thank you." Arain said she had always know Zatalon's name would be elvish, she gave a bow to each and said the elvish goodbye and ran to tell her colt his name.

"She is spirited that girl, she is part elvish is she not?" Tallish asked.

"Yes, her mother was an elf of Mirkwood, but after my son died at a border fight she sub came to grief, Arain was only three when they both left her and is now left in the care of my daughter."

"I sense those two do not see eye to eye."

"No, they do not. Arain is wild and free spirited." Barden said with a laugh, his daughter and granddaughter most certainly did not see eye to eye.

"It will only become even more so, her elven blood is stirring and soon will make itself present, she already has the light step of an elf, it won't be long before she acquires other features." Tallish said.

"Yes, I am aware. She has the mind and talent for fighting, and is too restless for the life of a lady and needle work. I try to tell my daughter this but she refuses to listen and continues to try and make that girl what she simply is not, she is a girl that breaks the mold of what a woman should be and if my daughter continues to try and push her… I'm afraid she will flee one day." The King said sadly.

"Have you considered that is where her destiny lies, somewhere away from these walls?"

"It has crossed my mind, and even though I know it is selfish I do not wish it to be so. She is all I have left of my first born son and of Tavega her mother. We may have been from different races but I was rather found of her. But, in my heart I know that Arain will leave one day, I just hope that day will not come too soon." He said sadly, thinking of the happy child before turning his mind to the thoughts of the trades.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3(I DO NOT OWN LOTR)

Arain was thrilled with the name she had been told, and it seemed the newly named Zatalon was as well. But there was something else that bugged her, the way she felt inadequate in the clothes she wore in front of the elf. It had never bothered her to much before, she hated the confines of dresses but she did like the beautiful design of them, the freedom she desired was only found in the clothes of men but they were boring and ugly at times. She began to wonder if she could find a way to make them both work for her, and as she thought a picture formed in her mind and for the first time she willingly turned to her needle work.

When her mother found her willingly and diligently working the needle and thread she was thrilled, until she found the rough sketches of the design Arain made, then it just made her angry and appalled. It took Arain nearly a month to finish the outfit, trying to gather the correct martial then on finding a way to piece her idea together, but when it was done she was very proud of it. She unfolded the deep green cloth to try on the finished product. It was a long fitted tunic that fell to her hips but the back of the tunic extended like a skirt but left her legs free to move about , resembling the males long coats except more tailored to her body ,but it clearly was meant to be worn as a shirt not something that went over it.

Arain picked up the second bit of cloth a pair of dark brown colored leggings wearing them with it was feminine yet truly something made for fighting and moving easily in. It was in a deep color made with light and durable material. Pulling on the tunic she smiled at the way the sleeves clung to her arms to allow easy and free movement, it floated about her ankles but didn't tangle between her legs or hamper her movement. The shirt part of it laced and buckled in the front holding a shape that showed her budding curves off flatteringly and her budding chest in their place. Pulling on a pair of dark brown boots that came to a stop below her knees and were as light as any sturdy of her fighting boots, turning she found herself reflected in a mirror. She smiled at the way the clothes made her look.

The figure in the mirror was clearly a woman and the clothes did nothing to hide that fact, actually in Arain's opinion it went out of its way to show she was female. But she looked as dangerous and strong as any man she had seen, but still stayed feminine, it was the very picture of a female warrior in her mind, all strength and muscle, but still graceful and soft but in no way delicate. She smiled and the figure in the mirror copied her, it was an outfit that clearly said 'I'm a woman and a fighter, so just deal with it.' She liked that statement very much. Yet was still feminine and made her look graceful, her mother was scandalized by her creation while many of the older soldiers she got along with and her grandfather praised her on her creation saying it fit a female warrior well. She practiced her weapons in it, ran and climbed trees, and it neither held her back nor got in her way she was extremely pleased with her creation, and the fact her mother was appalled only made it better.

She experimented over the next few years with different cloth, even buying some of it from the elves when they came to trade, making them lighter and more durable even incorporating leather into it to protect her torso as she fought. She even made a couple that were more formal and would be acceptable to a banquet or ball, her mother hated it and she loved it. She worked on her studies and secretly on her weapons as her mother had found a way to stop her lessons during the day, meeting up with Master Elkon during the night so she could practice and working Zatalon when she wanted to escape her lady lessons as she had taken to calling them.

It was what she was doing now, her mother was getting more and more furious and adamant on her lessons all day every day, that Arain at 14 fall's old could no longer take it and escaped to the edges of the forest of Mirkwood for hours on end, after finding a hidden way to the outskirts of the forest. Letting Zatalon run and stretch his legs till they came to their favorite clearing just inside the forest where she would relax in a tree with a book in her lap. With some luck she had acquired an elvish book and had pain staking began to teach herself what she could. Saying she was doing it as a tribute to her mother and her own elvish heritage, it wasn't long after Tallish left Dale that Arain's ears began to become pointed, her sense keener and her features fairer. She also didn't get nearly as tired as most others did and could stay awake late into the night, which worked well for her nightly weapons learning.

Arain sat in her tree deeply entranced in her book as she twirled the single section of pale blonde hair around her finger. Enjoying the quietness of the woods with only the peaceful sounds of nature to distract her she relaxed as she tried to puzzle out the elvish words on the page. But after a second she made a frustrated noise as the meaning to the words eluded her still. Zatalon looked up at her expectantly, and she could have sworn there was a gleam of humor in his dark intelligent eyes.

"Don't look at me like that, you try learning a different language with no one there to help you." Zatalon just went back to chomping on the grass below and swishing his tail at her. "You should be thanking me, not giving me those looks, if it wasn't for me you would never leave the castle walls, though neither of us would if my mother had anything to say about it." Arain groaned and leaned back further in the tree nook, noticing that Zatalon's ears where flicked back towards her listening to her every word.

"I can't stand her now days, I love her but she is becoming too much if it continues I'm might just go insane. It is all I can do to escape her horrible lessons!" She tossed her hands up dramatically, Zatalon snorted but continued to eat at the grass she frowned to herself. "Maybe I already am, not only am I talking to a horse but that horse is my only friend." She sighed dejectedly and delved deep into her thoughts.

It was true Zatalon was her only friend, sure she liked and got along well with Master Elkon and her grandfather but they were adults, none of the others her age wanted anything to do with her. The girls in the castle she had absolutely nothing in common with, while the boys wanted nothing to do with her because she was a girl and didn't belong in battles. Even both she and they knew she could easily out maneuver any of them in a fight, and maybe that was part of the problem. Maybe it was there way at getting back at her for being better than them and for being different.

She carefully touched her ears at this thought, there were many that didn't like the fact she was half-elf, and royalty. Some thought her elvish blood tainted that of the royal blood of Bard the first king of Dale and slayer of Smog. Even her mother was appalled by it though she never said it out load, and tried to get her to cover up her ears, even though she knew that the action caused her sensitive ears pain. But she wasn't ashamed of her heritage and like with most of her mother's demands strongly rebelled against them, and always showed her heritage proudly.

It was the hair raising feeling on the back of her neck that had her quickly standing and balancing in the tree. Alerted by her quick movements Zatalon lifted his head and tested the air before pawing at the ground anxiously he had also felt the eyes watching them. Arain looked around but saw nothing from her spot hidden in the trees, but when Zatalon gave a soft worried nicker and lined up below her she dropped lightly and gracefully into his saddle taking up his reins. She scanned the trees another time and this time caught the almost unseen movement of something there, then spotted the beautiful cool grey blue eyes that watched her. She stared a moment more before heeding to her worried friends prancing beneath her and sent him back towards Dale in an easy canter.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4(I DONOT OWN LOTR)

Arainya was once again relaxing in her familiar nook in the clearing just inside the forest. Over the last three years she and Zatalon had grown accustomed to the watchful eyes that had chased her away that first time. Though they were not always the beautiful blue grey from that first time, it seemed that they had grown used to her presence. The elves that she now knew were what watched her had come to a sort of silent agreement. As long as she caused no trouble and wandered or went in any further into their borders, that she knew they guarded they would not cause her any trouble or harm.

She had made it a game though to try and find the ones watching her in the trees as she left, and she could usually find them spotting a bit of movement or a lighter shade of green among the leaves, but the hardest on to find so far was the one with the blue-grey eyes. She almost thought that the owner of those eyes understood her game and each time it was harder and harder to find him, at times not finding him at all. Though as of the year those watchful eyes had become less and less frequent, and the forest had grown too quiet compared to that first time when she was thirteen.

She felt a darkness residing somewhere in the woods, and today she felt the unease especially thick and kept the short sword on her back close while her sword stayed strapped to Zatalon's saddle. It was only an hour until that unease became more persistent and even Zatalon became nervous, after hearing the whispers of the dark things befalling Dale's borders she decided not to take a chance staying any longer. She climbed from her perch and mounted Zatalon she felt him stiffen under her as he spun around, where a rather large spider descended to the forest floor in front of them. Zatalon reared and danced, Arain spoke a few calming words and drew her sword, it was of poor quality as were her other weapons as they were the only things she could acquire without her mother's knowledge.

Zatalon reared again and this time Arain jumped off him and told him to get to safety, he wanted to flee all his instincts bid him to. But when his rider did not also flee the creature he did not move from her side, but stood safely behind her and ready to defend her if the creature got the upper hand.

Arain felt her heart speed up as the spider threatened them, she had battled plenty of times but never had she actually battled a real opponent. So pulled her focused to her till it was razor sharp, as she dodged the spiders pinchers and stinger striking at its legs when she had an opening. She dodged again and felt the pain on her cheek as she wasn't fast enough, she saw an opening and used a nearby tree to her advantage. Running at it she used it as a spring board and jumped on the giant creatures back, using all her strength to plunge her blade into the creatures back side. It let out a pained screech, but it did not give up so easily, Arain grabbed her short blade from her back and drove it in the creatures spine it gave another screech and lurched forward as it died tossing Arain to the ground.

Arain rolled with the impact coming up in a kneeling position holding her shorted blade behind her and her sword in front of her incase the creature got back up or more came. But when none were forth coming and the spider made no attempt to rise she stood. She was breathing hard as the adrenalin died down and she wiped the small trickle of blood from her cheek. A part of her mind was already trying to think of an excuse to tell her mother about the wound on her cheek and where she was to have gotten it. The other part of it taking in the fact she had just killed a creature twice her size. When the surprise was over she sheathed her sword and found her short blade broken, the rest of the blade still imbedded into the creature's body.

She groaned it had taken her forever to acquire her weapons and now she had lost one, she dropped the useless hilt and looked again at it sadly, it hadn't been the best quality but it had served her well. She felt the warm breath of Zatalon as he approached her, she patted his neck before mounting him and riding home. There was nothing she could do about her lost weapon and it was clear that whatever darkness that had come to the lands had reached all the way to her safe haven.

Several figures appeared from the woods into the clearing, they had been tracking the last of a group of spiders they had taken out. They expected the creature had fled the forest and headed to the human village, they had hoped to stop it before it got there, but they did not expect what the found in the clearing. In the clearing was the curled up carcass of a slayed spider, the one they had been tracking.

_"__It seems that someone has beaten us here Prince Legolas, I wonder which of the other two groups got here first." _ A tall blonde elf said coming to stand in front of the carcass.

Legolas walked around the felled beast there were shallow slashes on the spiders legs obviously made from a dull poor quality blade, he glanced around the clearing and with a start of surprise realized that this was _her_ clearing. That interesting girl with her strange yet beautiful hair of the red autumn leaves except a single tendril of pale blond, like his own. She had started coming into the forest three years ago, and never spent more than a weeks' time in between visits. Even after he had frightened her on propose that first time to discourage her from coming to the forest again, she came back after a week and that time he noticed that she was an elf, as was clearly pointed out by her ears. He should have guessed that first time when she was able to find him among the trees when no human sight should have been able to discern him from the leaves, but he didn't.

He had watched her a few times each time only coming to the clearing and perching in her favorite tree sometimes napping in the sun that bathed the earth , other times reading a book or talking to the beautiful horse that never strayed far from her. From his observations it had become very clear to him that the girl meant no harm and only wanted to enjoy the forest and escape her infuriating mother he had learned from the talks she had with the horse. From then on he had told the others to not bother her, as long as she caused no trouble or traveled further into the forest. She seemed to understand that her watchers had decided to not bother her if she did not them, but what was strange to him was she was always able to tell when he was the one watching her. It had shocked him that first time those deep leaf green eyes locked with his. From then on she always tried to spot the elves as they guarded the borders and according to the reports he got from them always succeeded in finding them, she had turned it into a sort of game before she left and he had somehow began to play along with it, concealing himself better and better than before. And still she found him more than half the time.

She had intrigued Legolas and her sight was sharp, he watched as she grew maturing at the rate of a human as was common of half-elves instead of the drawn out fifty years for and elfling to reach adulthood. He watched as she became stronger noticing when she began to travel with a bow, then a few months later a short sword and a year after that a sword all in the most disgraceful of conditions. It was clear she had some skill with the weapons, but he did not know how much.

Legolas came to the front of the spider again and noticed a silver glint in the creatures backside, looking closer he found the broken end of a blade in the creature, which was curious. No, Elvin weapon would break easily, and no warrior would hunt a creature with a damaged blade. He glanced around again and a few feet away lay the hilt of a dagger, with the jagged edges of the blade that had broken.

"_It was no elf who killed this creature."_ He stated and picked up the broken blade, noticing a few drops of blood splattering on the grass near it. He examined the hilt and smirked to himself when his suspicion was confirmed when he saw several red and a single pale blond strand of hair tangled around the guard of the blade. "_It was her, she must have been here when it appeared from the forest. I recognize this blade, it is her short sword, or I should say was."_

_"__That girl killed this thing, it is hard to believe she is just a child and the female offspring of men do not allow there woman to learn the way of fighting."_ One of the accompanying elves said disbelieving.

"_No they do not but she is not exactly a normal human. But enough of that, let us dispose of the body and return to the city."_ Legolas said getting his group of hunters to begin the tedious process of burying the creature, as he did the familiar task his mind wondered to the few drops of blood and at how badly the girl had been hurt.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 4(I DONOT OWN LOTR)

Arainya was once again relaxing in her familiar nook in the clearing just inside the forest. Over the last three years she and Zatalon had grown accustomed to the watchful eyes that had chased her away that first time. Though they were not always the beautiful blue grey from that first time, it seemed that they had grown used to her presence. The elves that she now knew were what watched her had come to a sort of silent agreement. As long as she caused no trouble and wandered or went in any further into their borders, that she knew they guarded they would not cause her any trouble or harm.

She had made it a game though to try and find the ones watching her in the trees as she left, and she could usually find them spotting a bit of movement or a lighter shade of green among the leaves, but the hardest on to find so far was the one with the blue-grey eyes. She almost thought that the owner of those eyes understood her game and each time it was harder and harder to find him, at times not finding him at all. Though as of the year those watchful eyes had become less and less frequent, and the forest had grown too quiet compared to that first time when she was thirteen.

She felt a darkness residing somewhere in the woods, and today she felt the unease especially thick and kept the short sword on her back close while her sword stayed strapped to Zatalon's saddle. It was only an hour until that unease became more persistent and even Zatalon became nervous, after hearing the whispers of the dark things befalling Dale's borders she decided not to take a chance staying any longer. She climbed from her perch and mounted Zatalon she felt him stiffen under her as he spun around, where a rather large spider descended to the forest floor in front of them. Zatalon reared and danced, Arain spoke a few calming words and drew her sword, it was of poor quality as were her other weapons as they were the only things she could acquire without her mother's knowledge.

Zatalon reared again and this time Arain jumped off him and told him to get to safety, he wanted to flee all his instincts bid him to. But when his rider did not also flee the creature he did not move from her side, but stood safely behind her and ready to defend her if the creature got the upper hand.

Arain felt her heart speed up as the spider threatened them, she had battled plenty of times but never had she actually battled a real opponent. So pulled her focused to her till it was razor sharp, as she dodged the spiders pinchers and stinger striking at its legs when she had an opening. She dodged again and felt the pain on her cheek as she wasn't fast enough, she saw an opening and used a nearby tree to her advantage. Running at it she used it as a spring board and jumped on the giant creatures back, using all her strength to plunge her blade into the creatures back side. It let out a pained screech, but it did not give up so easily, Arain grabbed her short blade from her back and drove it in the creatures spine it gave another screech and lurched forward as it died tossing Arain to the ground.

Arain rolled with the impact coming up in a kneeling position holding her shorted blade behind her and her sword in front of her incase the creature got back up or more came. But when none were forth coming and the spider made no attempt to rise she stood. She was breathing hard as the adrenalin died down and she wiped the small trickle of blood from her cheek. A part of her mind was already trying to think of an excuse to tell her mother about the wound on her cheek and where she was to have gotten it. The other part of it taking in the fact she had just killed a creature twice her size. When the surprise was over she sheathed her sword and found her short blade broken, the rest of the blade still imbedded into the creature's body.

She groaned it had taken her forever to acquire her weapons and now she had lost one, she dropped the useless hilt and looked again at it sadly, it hadn't been the best quality but it had served her well. She felt the warm breath of Zatalon as he approached her, she patted his neck before mounting him and riding home. There was nothing she could do about her lost weapon and it was clear that whatever darkness that had come to the lands had reached all the way to her safe haven.

Several figures appeared from the woods into the clearing, they had been tracking the last of a group of spiders they had taken out. They expected the creature had fled the forest and headed to the human village, they had hoped to stop it before it got there, but they did not expect what the found in the clearing. In the clearing was the curled up carcass of a slayed spider, the one they had been tracking.

_"__It seems that someone has beaten us here Prince Legolas, I wonder which of the other two groups got here first." _ A tall blonde elf said coming to stand in front of the carcass.

Legolas walked around the felled beast there were shallow slashes on the spiders legs obviously made from a dull poor quality blade, he glanced around the clearing and with a start of surprise realized that this was _her_ clearing. That interesting girl with her strange yet beautiful hair of the red autumn leaves except a single tendril of pale blond, like his own. She had started coming into the forest three years ago, and never spent more than a weeks' time in between visits. Even after he had frightened her on propose that first time to discourage her from coming to the forest again, she came back after a week and that time he noticed that she was an elf, as was clearly pointed out by her ears. He should have guessed that first time when she was able to find him among the trees when no human sight should have been able to discern him from the leaves, but he didn't.

He had watched her a few times each time only coming to the clearing and perching in her favorite tree sometimes napping in the sun that bathed the earth , other times reading a book or talking to the beautiful horse that never strayed far from her. From his observations it had become very clear to him that the girl meant no harm and only wanted to enjoy the forest and escape her infuriating mother he had learned from the talks she had with the horse. From then on he had told the others to not bother her, as long as she caused no trouble or traveled further into the forest. She seemed to understand that her watchers had decided to not bother her if she did not them, but what was strange to him was she was always able to tell when he was the one watching her. It had shocked him that first time those deep leaf green eyes locked with his. From then on she always tried to spot the elves as they guarded the borders and according to the reports he got from them always succeeded in finding them, she had turned it into a sort of game before she left and he had somehow began to play along with it, concealing himself better and better than before. And still she found him more than half the time.

She had intrigued Legolas and her sight was sharp, he watched as she grew maturing at the rate of a human as was common of half-elves instead of the drawn out fifty years for and elfling to reach adulthood. He watched as she became stronger noticing when she began to travel with a bow, then a few months later a short sword and a year after that a sword all in the most disgraceful of conditions. It was clear she had some skill with the weapons, but he did not know how much.

Legolas came to the front of the spider again and noticed a silver glint in the creatures backside, looking closer he found the broken end of a blade in the creature, which was curious. No, Elvin weapon would break easily, and no warrior would hunt a creature with a damaged blade. He glanced around again and a few feet away lay the hilt of a dagger, with the jagged edges of the blade that had broken.

"_It was no elf who killed this creature."_ He stated and picked up the broken blade, noticing a few drops of blood splattering on the grass near it. He examined the hilt and smirked to himself when his suspicion was confirmed when he saw several red and a single pale blond strand of hair tangled around the guard of the blade. "_It was her, she must have been here when it appeared from the forest. I recognize this blade, it is her short sword, or I should say was."_

_"__That girl killed this thing, it is hard to believe she is just a child and the female offspring of men do not allow there woman to learn the way of fighting."_ One of the accompanying elves said disbelieving.

"_No they do not but she is not exactly a normal human. But enough of that, let us dispose of the body and return to the city."_ Legolas said getting his group of hunters to begin the tedious process of burying the creature, as he did the familiar task his mind wondered to the few drops of blood and at how badly the girl had been hurt.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 5 (I DO NOT OWN LOTR)

Arainya couldn't take it anymore her mother was insufferable; she had discovered her little nightly training bought with Elkon while she had been in the forest. Her so called mother had decided to send her to Gondor for fostering. According to her mother she would learn to be a true lady there, and there they did not tolerate woman acting outside their proper roles. Arain would no longer have any chance to go and continue with her weapons training or as she put it, her nonsense. When Arain had returned and her mother saw the wound on her cheek it had only made her more firm in her decision. She had even arranged several courting partners for her!

Saying she was nearly 17 and the proper age for courting now, she was expected to choose one of these men and be married by years end, and Arain was NOT going to do it. She could no longer keep up the mask that she had retained when she could not escape her lessons, she could not do it any longer she felt caged and smothered. So she made up her mind.

Grabbing her packs she began to gather her things, the clothes she had made for herself, several of her favorite books and a few in elvish she had yet to read. Her comb and several hair ties and cloaks of varying weights even though being half elven she didn't feel the cold nearly as much. She snuck down to the kitchen and grabbed several loaves of bread and fruit both dried and fresh, some chees and dried meat. She wasn't overly found of meat and she mostly survived on fruit and vegetable, but knew if she was going to travel the protein the meat would provide would be vital. She grabbed three water skins filling one with wine and the other two with water before sneaking back to her room and packing it all away as well. By the time she was done she had four rather bulky packs and only needed now was to wait for night fall. She passed the time studying maps and trying to think of somewhere to go, a place no one knew her a place she could be herself. And she found it quickly, Lorthlorin, she had remembered a few tails her Naneth had told her about the place as a girl, her grandmother lived there until she married her Mirkwood grandfather and moved there to be with him. She knew they were secretive but she hoped they would except her while she figured out what to do from there.

When night fell she donned her cloak and left a note on her night stand making her way to the stables to ready Zatalon, he whickered softly understanding there need for quiet. She packed some grain for him and his brush before she tacked him up, fastening the saddle bags and her wepons to him she was leading him out to the empty courtyard when a voice stopped her.

"So you are leaving." Her grandfather said quietly coming up to her.

Arain bit her bottom lip sadly she didn't want to hurt her family but she could no longer stay here. "I cannot stay here, I cannot fulfill mothers wishes without denying myself of who I am. I must go, I'm sorry."

"I know. I had always knew this day would come, but hoped I could change it, but I cannot. Your life is not here, I've known that for many long years, I only ask you to be safe and to remember your family." He said and gave her a hard hug which she returned. "I also have something to give you. They were your parents." He said and pulled two wrapped bundles out from behind his back. "This was given to your father by your mothers' father; it's an elvish short blade, much better than the one you lost to the spider." He said, Arain may have lied to her mother of her ware bouts and the true cause of her injury but she never did to her grandfather.

He watched with pride as she pulled the blade out from the sheath, the blade was a bluish steal and was light in her hands and deadly sharp. She smiled then unbuckled the thin leather straps that held her bow to her back and attached the short sword to it before looping the longer strap over her right shoulder and under her left, and brining the shorter one from her back and over her left shoulder buckling it security there.

"And this, it was your mothers, she told me to give it to you when the time came." He unwrapped the delicate Elvin necklace. "I cannot even pretend to pronounce what she called it, but she said it was the light of the elvendi, something every elf owned." As he explained to her, he placed the pendant carefully around her neck, when she turned around it shown with a strong inner light, that matched it's warier. "And this is from me." He said and fashioned a small gold cloak broach onto her cloak, it was small and not too flashy but it was a deep red jewel that seemed to glow with an inner fire. He kissed her cheek before speaking again, "Go now, I will distract the guards, I love you little flame always remember that, and one day I hope you find what you are looking for." Arain didn't bother to stop the tears as she hugged her grandfather and kissed his cheek lightly before mounting Zatalan and headed off into the night.


End file.
